Monday, June 11, 2012

Bowling for kids with special needs: score!

Saturday morning, Max woke up, swung his arm back and forth and stared at me, expectantly. Bowling. He wanted to go bowling.

"Oooh-aaay?" he asked. ["Today?"] This understanding of today vs. tomorrow is new to him in recent months. And of course, he wants everything today. Like the other day, he woke up and asked about going on another Disney cruise. Oooh-aaay. Bowling was a lot more do-able.

Max has been to a bunch of birthday parties at bowling lanes in recent months and had a great time. He's also into the app Gutterball: Golden Bowling Pin, which I like because it's encouraged him to use his pointer finger. And so, Max and I went bowling, and I even remembered to bring the noise-blocking earphones.

When we got there, Max tried to crash some kid's party, but I lured him away and soon we were decked out in super-chic bowling shoes and the nice lady behind the desk hooked us up with a ramp.

Turns out that Max wasn't psyched to see my name on the screen. No, he wanted his best bud's name, so up it went.

Max bowled for two—him and Caleb, taking up both turns. I'd lift the ball onto the ramp for him and he'd push it mightily then stare, hopefully, as it rolled along. He squealed each time he got a bunch of pins down, and I did, too.

I remember in the 3rd grade whenever we went bowling for gym class there was a group of Saratoga Bridges people(adults,partipents? not sure on the word to use) anyway they bowled using those things and noone know what they were(we were 8 or nine) And this year there was a boy in my gym class who has autism and used that ramp when we bowled.And I bowled with him.I was the only one to talk to/play with or even agknowlege him.

Max isn't yet doing Special Olympics anything because of his issues with crowds. I hope he matures into it. And let me just say, I love this ramp, too!!! And yes, Sabrina, the shoes were way above average in terms of the usual bowling alley fashion finds.